


Keeping Empty Beds Elsewhere

by sssssssim



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, things I'd like to see in season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-12
Updated: 2014-06-12
Packaged: 2018-02-04 09:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1773763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sssssssim/pseuds/sssssssim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Scott told him that he was pretty sure Derek was seeing Braeden, Stiles’ stomach turned. </p><p>or the one where Stiles makes sure Braeden isn't going to hurt Derek.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Empty Beds Elsewhere

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know?!! I just woke up with this in my head, had to get it out.   
> Not really romantic (debatable), but everybody should fear Stiles, no matter the situation. Set in season 4.  
> Title from [The Naked And Famous - Hearts Like Ours](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqUJdcCjUIA)

When Scott told him that he was pretty sure Derek was seeing Braeden, Stiles’ stomach turned. He just blinked at his best friend for a couple of seconds, trying to wrap his mind around it.

‘Are you sure?’

Scott nodded. ‘When I got there, the sheets were rumpled and I smelled… things’, he scrunched up his nose. ‘And she was wearing his shirt.’

Stiles groaned. ‘We do not have time for this!’

‘What?’, Scott frowned, but moved quickly to follow him to the jeep.

‘Derek’s dating history is the worst’, Stiles rolled his eyes as he got the car out of parking. ‘His first girlfriend literally died by his claws, the second one burnt his family alive, god knows what happened when he was in New York and do not even get me started on Jennifer.’

By the time he ended his rant, Stiles was yelling. Scott didn’t seem to mind, he was used to it. They spent the next minutes in silence, but Stiles saw that his best friend was thinking intensely.

‘Braeden isn’t like that’, the Alpha finally said. ‘She saved Isaac, she saved Derek and Peter, she helped us save Derek, again-‘

‘I know’, Stiles sighed. ‘But those were jobs for her. That’s what she does, she’s literally a gunwoman for hire.‘

‘We trust her’, Scott insists. ‘Not just Derek, but us too. You even  _like_  her, Stiles.’

‘I know. That’s why we have to be sure.’

‘Derek can take care of himself.’, Scott tried.

Stiles snorted. ‘Most of the time, but sometimes, he really can’t. And that’s okay, cause that’s why we’re here. But me, personally, I’d like to make sure he won’t get to the point where I have to save his furry ass.’

Scott sighed. ‘I can’t convince you not to, can I?’

‘Nope’, Stiles grinned, parking the Jeep by Derek’s car. He headed up towards the loft, and Scott followed a few steps behind. ‘And you’re going to help me, by letting me know if she’s lying. Cool?’

‘Not cool’, Scott sighed. ‘But I’ll do it, if it means you’re gonna calm down.’

‘Attaboy’, Stiles grinned, but it quickly faded from his face when they got to Derek’s door.

Scott did a double take upon seeing his best friend’s face, the set of his jaw, the determination in his eyes, but also the anger. The way he was clenching his fists and the way his whole body seemed tense. He’s never seen Stiles like this, and that’s saying something, considering the amount of things they’ve been through.

‘You’re scaring me’, Scott whispers, squeezing his upper arm.

‘It needs to be done’, Stiles whispers back, finally opening the door.

He’s confident when he steps inside, more confident than Scott is. They find Derek on the couch, feet crossed at the ankles on the coffee table, eating a bowl of cereal. Braeden is just coming down the stairs, wearing one of Derek’s t-shirts and no pants.

Derek’s looking at Stiles with eyes wide, spoon half way through his mouth. Scott can tell that he’s as shocked as he was, by the way Stiles looks. He’s staring at Braeden, though, completely ignoring the wolves. She doesn’t look fazed, she just keeps walking till she’s a few steps in front of him, crossing her hands over her chest and tilting her hips to the side.

‘What’s wrong?’, Derek finally asks, very weary and concerned.

‘Nothing’, Scott sighs, trying to assure him.

‘We’re here to make sure nothing will ever be wrong’, Stiles says, voice cold, staring Braeden down. She just raises an eyebrow.

‘I don’t know why you’re sticking around’, Stiles shakes his head, ‘even if nobody is paying you. And I don’t really care. But if you have any plans of hurting Derek, in any way, you should run now.’

She takes a double take at that, looking at Stiles like he’s insane. She looks towards Derek then. ‘Is he for real?’. But Derek isn’t looking at her, he’s looking at Stiles, with his mouth open. He doesn’t say anything, so Stiles continues.

‘I don’t know if you know all the shit he’s been through, but if you hurt him, I am going to kill you.’

Braeden snorts at that. Stiles scoffs, finally dropping the murderous look in his eyes.

‘You people keep forgetting who I am.’, he chuckles. Then, he sets his shoulders and clenches his fists, voice dropping again. ‘Beyond everything else, I’m the Sheriff’s kid. I’ve been reading case files since I’ve known how to and I’ve been looking at crime scene photos even before that. I’m the best in this town, I know how to make you disappear without a trace, I have access to the resources I need to make sure nobody pins me with it and I wouldn’t hesitate for one moment to do it. I already have blood on my hands, I’m used to it by this point.’

Everybody is silent for a few moments, with Stiles and Braeden glaring at each other.  She deflates then, visibly, and even though she’s speaking in a strong voice, she still seems weary.

‘I’m not sticking around. I’m have to make sure this is dealt with, and I’ll leave after it’s done.’ She shrugs. ‘We’re just having fun. There are no feelings here’, she makes a face. ‘I’m not plotting anything.’

Stiles turns to Scott then, who gives a slight nod. Because she wasn’t lying, her heart was beating a bit faster, but it didn’t skip.

‘Okay’, Stiles nods, shaking himself and switching back to his normal self. ‘Carry on then, we’ll leave you to your sex.’

That makes Derek finally say something, but he doesn’t really accomplish it, all that comes out of his mouth is a weird splutter of sounds. Stiles doesn’t say anything, just grabs Scott and drags him out, shutting the door behind them.

They don’t talk about it anymore, and Scott doesn’t push. Stiles seems a little more relax, and they quickly go back to talking about finding the Benefactor.

They’re at Scott’s place that night, when Derek knocks on the door, close to midnight. He opens the door, surprised to see this look on Derek. He looks vulnerable and unsure, his shoulders slumped and lips pressed together. So Scott pulls him in and wordlessly directs him to his room, where Stiles made camp, surrounded by laptops and books.

Scott stays in the kitchen, but he can’t help but eavesdrop.

‘I know I was out of line’, he hears Stiles sigh. ‘It shouldn’t be any of my business who you’re hooking up with, and I had no right to talk to her like that. I was rude and insensitive, and way out of line. I’m not going to apologize, though, so don’t expect that.’

‘Why?’, Derek asks, and Scott barely heard it.

There’s a pause, and when he starts talking again, Stiles’ voice is soft and caring.

‘I can’t see you go through something like that again, Derek. I know too much, about you, about what you’ve been through, and I can’t just stand here, and wait for something bad to happen to you, again, just wait for the signal, to come running to save you.’

‘I don’t-‘, Derek tries, but Stiles interrupts him.

‘I’ll come, you know I will’, he says, fairly amused. ‘I’ll always run to save your sorry ass, but I cannot see you get hurt again. Not under my watch.’

They’re silent again, for a couple of moments, and Scott finds himself nervously chewing his lips.

‘You were out of line.’, Derek finally says, and Scott can picture Stiles nodding along. ‘But thank you. For…’, he clears his throat, ‘for looking out for me.’

Scott doesn’t hear anything else, and Derek leaves soon after, with barely a head tilt to acknowledge him. When Stiles comes down to the kitchen, there’s a bright blush on his face, running all the way down his shirt.

‘Why do I feel like that was important?’, Scott asks him, surprising himself a bit.

Stiles shrugs. ‘Because he is.’


End file.
